Latest Fieldnotes

From the B4391 southwest of Llandderfel, either park in the carpark in the trees, or drive up the track towards the forest, the track is inbetween two other cairns Carnedd wen to the north and Rhanneg to the south. We made it all the way up to the corner of the plantation, shunning the gate with prosecution warnings, we rode our bikes north with trees to our right and open ground on the left.
We entered the sometimes dark and creepy forest, which strangely becomes light, breezy and an almost magical place at the turn of the merest corner. Barring one crossroad that isnt on the map, and numerous fallen trees, we made it quickly and efficiently straight to the chambered cairn.
Times have changed since google earth passed over head, all the trees that surrounded the cairn have been felled. It definitely lets more light fall upon this lost tomb, but the business of plantation doesn’t care about tidiness and caring for the environment, the whole area looked like a Tsunami had ripped through the place, a really really horrible mess.

The cairn would have been amongst the list of must see’s for the area, if it were but for two things, the forest, and the awful way in which it was treated, by someone we might have to call an antiquarian. Coflein described it well, but I still couldn’t work out what it might look like in my minds eye, so when I first saw it, it wasnt there it is, it was hang on is that it.
A very big cairn this would have been, but now its like this, a big squareish area has been excavated away to reveal the capstone which is undoubtedly not in it’s original place. The northwest inner area is made of dry stone walling
whether this is an original feature I don’t know, but I cant see someone ripping the cairn apart to construct something else, something almost pleasing to the eye.
The capstone is large and would suit most Dolmens, but now its dumped, slumping into the corner, I hope they found something earth shattering to off set the wanton destruction.
Grai Yr Arian would have enjoyed long views over to the Berwyn peaks, and does so once more.
Large and impressive even in its destruction, but only really one for the completists among us.

[visited 22/4/11] Widely accepted by academics as glacial but a vocal minority insist its man made and prehistoric, so I thought I’d have a walk about, over and round to see what I could see.

So er, this is not a hill fort at least not in any classic sense. I’ve been to a couple of the Peak forts and quite a few more in the rest of the country and not one looks like this. However, there are parts and hints which point to this being more than a glacial feature. I should say though, I am no expert on or amateur obsessive of glacial features...

I started on the Chapel road and headed for the new cricket pitch (nice and level). The end of the Roosdyche (henceforth known as RD) starts not long along the footpath, I followed it to the new cricket ground and then along the footpath which runs parallel to the RD (which is private property keep out!), up to the Northern end of RD. The overriding fact of walking this part is that the land to the West drops off and that the land to the East on the other side of RD from me, rises appreciably. A couple of peaks over the 5’8’’ stone wall as I walked revealed no bank on the western side of RD, the land on the western side going up to the edge. These facts lead me to categorically believe any fort or defended enclosure cannot be to the West and so the conjectured map on here is wrong. Another discrepancy to hillfort normality is that the sometimes large undulations of the floor of RD do not follow the contours of the land and so are perhaps symptomatic of bedrock changes being reflected in the erosion caused by water.

However, I then continued the walk starting at the Northern end of RD heading east to Mosley Hall Farm, then past the old cricket pitch (on a slope), onto a sneaky 30 yards of RD, to the lane by the new cricket pitch, up the lane past Horwich House and Horwich Farm, then finally back down the road to my car by the Chapel road. This where the weirdness and hints of prehistory start.

As I crossed the RD I am sure you can detect a hint off a bank on the Eastern edge, though certainly not all the way along. Nothing sprung out at me until Mosley Hall Farm, there the track to the North East of the farm follows a ditch, then as you are given the option of the farm to the right, look left and what could be an earthworked rampart looks at you. Back at the RD, on the track that heads East past the new cricket ground, on the East side of RD, there is what seems to be the spitting image of a mutivalate hillfort entrance. Looking south through the barbed wire fence along Dingle Wood a bank ditch bank combo can be seen, but not accessed. East of Horwich house a track runs North to South, in a ditch. Finally on the West side of the road which heads South from Horwich Farm, a bank could be veering West back towards the Southern end of RD.

So, what’s going on? Certainly any of the ditches and banks to the east of RD taken individually, with the exception of the possible entrance, could just be geology or sunken ways or all sorts of other later features. But taken together I think there is a real possibility, that this was enclosed at some point in the past. Issues would be geography and size. Frankly the high ground further west would be much more likely for a hillfort, even with Eccles pike looking over it. Size-wise, the area enclosed would be larger than (say) Maiden Castle, so this would be a massive enclosure. Another issue is that Castle Naze is only 2-3 miles to the South East and the peak’s forts don’t tend to be that densely located.

Personally, I think this could be a status symbol, a great and effectively undefendable folly, aimed to the North. Using the existing glacial RD to enhance the front which would be well protected whilst it’s sides and back could be a small bank and palisade. It does lie on or near a tribal boundary and would be clearly visible from the North for several miles. It also sits on the Goyt, one of the major tributaries of the mersey.

Just visited this wonderful site and was stunned by it’s beauty. Seems to have been well kept (there was a new gate and the grass was short) and there were no signs of any litter or graffiti. A very special place indeed.

Folk at the farm were very friendly and they were quite happy for me to park at the farm.

Two bowl barrows in dense undergrowth on private land to north east of the village of Tolpuddle. They don’t appear on MAGIC and don’t appear to be scheduled, they are listed as monument no. 456168 on Pastscape and Grinsell visited them and listed them in Dorset Barrows.
I’ve not seen them as they aren’t visible from either the A35 or the lesser road that goes to the village. Grinsell had them as being 37 feet in diameter and 4 feet in height and 54 by 5 1/2 respectively. The smaller one has damage from a military slit slit trench, presumably 2nd WW as this is a very strategic position above what used to be a main road (now bypassed).
Very close to these barrows an Iron age and Romano-British settlement was excavated during the building of the Puddletown/Tolpuddle bypass.

Half way between Bala and Dolgellau, just off the A494, the other side of a disused railway embankment.
Only a short walk from the car, through one gate, over the embankment and there it is right beneath us. The fence around the stone goes off course just to keep it on farmland side rather than the railway, there were sheep with little lambs in the stones field so we heeded the barb wires spikyness and kept away.
The stone is smooth and rounded and about four and a half feet tall, due to Error99 on the camera I was restricted to my zoom lens which doesnt really let you get in close to the stone. Dolddeuli farm is close by to the north, but we were in and out, quick and unseen. Hot and sticky, tired and knackered, but what a great day out.

Visited 16.4.2011. After a trip into Shropshire last week, to visit Mitchell’s Fold and its surroundings, another sunny Saturday draws me back to the area for a further mooch. The Long Mynd is indelibly marked upon me, due to a sledging incident up on these hills aged 14 that left me with stitches in the back of my head (and a permanent scar!). I’ll try to be a bit more careful this time...

Access to the area couldn’t be easier, as Church Stretton has a train station on the Cardiff – Manchester main line. There is however the small matter of the uphill walk from there. The Long Mynd is a broad ridge a couple of miles across, but bordered on every side by steeply sloping hills which have to be dealt with from any approach. Worth pausing to look north eastwards from the town too, at the even more steeply sided Caer Caradoc Hill, with its premier league hillfort looming over the town. It is one of a long row of hills that culminates at the northern end at The Wrekin, also topped with a hillfort and the origin of Midlands expression “to go round the Wrekin” (meaning to go the long way round to get somewhere, or take a long time to get to the point). Which is appropriate enough in these fieldnotes, don’t you think?

Anyway, my approach for today’s trip is an easy enough one, via Church Stretton golf club. A path runs up into the hills from behind the club-house and provides excellent views of Caer Caradoc and the Lawley for most of its route. Beware flying golf balls though (often the path is unsighted from the tees). As the path gets up past the 300m mark, the neat IA ringwork of Bodbury Ring can be admired as well. Eventually the path leaves the grassy slopes of the golf course at the bottom of Haddon Hill. From here the terrain changes to the heather that cloaks the Long Mynd and which will provide the surface for most of the remainder of the walk.

The southeasternmost barrow of the group stands prominent on one of Haddon Hill’s summits. It’s a low mound, covered in heather, with no obvious path to it other than to wade through the heather. I decide to give it a miss (bit poor for the first barrow of the day, I know) – I think a winter visit would be needed to make it a worthwhile trek.

Instead I carry on until the path hits the minor Woolstaston – Ratlinghope Road, where it meets the Shropshire Way long distance path and the possibly prehistoric Port Way. From here the main object of my visit is clearly visible. Perched on a natural hilltop at 470m, the two central barrows – known as Robin Hood’s Butts, he was a well-travelled chap – are an obvious landmark. The larger barrow, the SW, is a massive mound 35m across and 4m high. Even though its edge has been cut through by an embanked field boundary, this is a really impressive monument. Standing on its top, there are really decent views to be had – the top of Caer Caradoc can be seen to the southeast, the long ridge of the Stiperstones and nearby Corndon Hill are the major landmarks to the WNW. The barrow has a slightly “stepped” appearance, as if a smaller mound has been built on to the top of the large one.

The second barrow lies across the fence to the NE, in private land. It’s a much smaller effort, ploughed right down and not much to see, although it still stands out against the skyline even in its reduced state.

Along the fence line to the northwest, there is another mound visible at a corner of the fence. Stupidly, I didn’t go and investigate (nothing is shown on the OS 1/25000), but a look at Pastscape on my return home reveals that there is indeed another barrow here.

I also skip the northwestermost barrow of the group, which seems to have disappeared in the smothering heather.

All in all, this is a decent group of monuments in a lovely location. From here I head off SW along the Port Way to see some of the Long Mynd’s other barrows.

Like many of the long barrows marked on the Cotswolds OS Map there is not a lot to see. This long barrow is situated between Upper and Lower Swell. It can be accessed by walking out of Lower Swell along the quiet road which connects the two villages; is visible from the road within a beech wood/plantation. Although no open access or RoW, today we walked around the field edge of the sloping crop field leading up to it – the stone wall along the field edge is broken in a few places so access is quite easy. The view from this barrow before the beech trees were planted would have been quite something – as it looks directly towards the hill-top town of Stow on the Wold. Stow is on the Fosse Way and probably began its existence as a hill fort or perhaps an even older settlement. According to an information leaflet in the small part Norman church at Lower Swell (which is situated on the old Roman road of Ryknield Street) there are five neolithic burial chambers in the local vicinity although today we only visited this one.

Note of interest to walkers:
Also in Lower Swell you can pick up the Heart of England Way – “a green route, for 100 miles, the length of the West Midlands region. Linking Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Staffordshire, with the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in Gloucestershire, with much mileage in rural Warwickshire.”

heartofenglandway.org/5078.html

Even a cursory glance will reveal that there are many, many impressive monuments logged upon this web-site. Sadly, the Shelley round barrows, near the small Essex town of Chipping Ongar, are not among them. At least not if physical form is considered to be the prime criterion, the trio barely surviving – in a severely denuded state – beside the meandering Cripsey Brook. But hey, something is better than nothing. And, of course, there are other selection criteria...

That time, or to be more specific, succeeding generations of farmers, haven’t accorded these monuments any favours, would, at first glance, appear to go without saying. But that would perhaps not tell the whole story, for the siting remains idyllic, particularly upon a sunny, late Spring afternoon. A farm still occupies the rise to the east, beyond the water course crossed by two – count ‘em – bridges, the track eventually arriving at the tiny settlement of Shelley. Here, a church claims the physical high ground, arguably in lieu of the moral equivalent? To be honest this is where I expected to find the barrows, charging across the more-substantial-looking-bridge before realising my mistake.

The northern mound is arguably the best preserved, for what it’s worth. But perhaps that is just splitting hairs, for the landscape... and the suggestion of what once was.... is sometimes more than enough. So if you happen to find yourself at Chipping Ongar, take the Moreton Road northwards out of town. Just past Bridge House, on your right, it is possible to park a car by the entrance to a bridleway. Advance down this to a gate and the Shelley Barrows are to be found a little way before the near bank of the brook, to the left. At least they were last time I looked. Just about.....

Visited 17.4.11
On the way to visiting the lovely village of Lacock (N.T.) we called in at Naish Hill Hillfort.
Taking the minor road east out of Lacock you drive up a steep hill and at the top of the hill, on your right, you will come to Naish Hill farm. Just past the farm is a place you can pull over on the left.
The single bank / ditch is easy to see in the field -approximately 1.5 meters high nearest the road, gradually decreasing in height to nothing as it moves across the field.
To be honest there is not much to recommend a visit to see the site although there are cracking views to be had. All in all a pleasant visit on a beautiful summer-like day.

Under pressure to get a ferry to Inis Oírr (Inisheer, Aran Islands) didnt get to the cairn this time, looking forward to it, really impressive from a distance and easy to access

A companion site to the more defined enclosure of Ambresbury Banks, a little way to the approx north-east, Loughton Camp possesses the forest vibe of the former.... with bells on.... thanks to its location, well off the beaten track, in the middle of Epping Forest. As such, it is arguably not the easiest site to find, although it must be said that I am notoriously bad navigating through woodland. Perhaps the most straight forward way is to therefore take the main track from the car park until it bisects another. Follow this to the right for a little way, then veer to the right into the trees... (hopefully) you find the ramparts emerging from the forest in a short while. Ta dah!

As mentioned, the atmosphere here is intense, brooding... almost as if the forest is simply aching to tell you something of great magnitude... but not quite yet. I’d say you would hear a pin drop, but.... even cliches have to possess a basis of truth... As with Ambresbury, today the trees surmounting the rampart create shadow representations of themselves to paradoxically highlight irregularities in bank and ditch with shade, so forming a whole new abstract world to challenge the senses. Or something like that. Yeah, there is a real feeling of ‘other-worldliness’ here. It is pretty much accepted that the not-so-dandy-highwayman – and erstwhile all round ‘nutter’ – Dick Turpin used to hide out in Epping Forest, Loughton being one location cited as his camp. It would certainly fit, since this enclosure just feels right, you know? A place where legends just might be born.

Metaphysical doodlings apart, Loughton is also a pretty decent defensive enclosure, although I did find the rampart a bit difficult to track in places when walking anti-clockwise. Better off meandering clockwise, then. Like Ambresbury it is said Loughton probably also functioned as a defended animal fold in times of trouble. Always a good idea to protect your most important assets from the neighbours... Nowadays, however, all is quiet. Assuming you can put up with the occasional falling pin on leaf, that is.

A few too many Saturday afternoons ‘doing not an awful lot’ prompted this visit, to be honest.... funny how I’m prepared to travel the length of Britain to see the Tursachan, for example, yet can’t be arsed to drive half an hour or so to a site in Essex. ‘Better late than never’ would be a major understatement, since I would cite this enclosure as being a quality site in every respect.

Always the innovative trend setter, my 1:50 OS map is so old it doesn’t even show the M25 – due for completion Summer 1983, apparently; nevertheless I manage to locate the B1393, which bisects north-eastern Epping Forest, with relative ease. Why, there’s even a roadside layby for parking... although watch your car nether regions, since it’s pretty rough. For Essex, anyway. The road is also very busy....

The hillfort, or more accurately ‘plateau fort’, is just a little way from roadside and therefore not the quietest of prehistoric sites you will ever visit. Having said that, note that Ambresbury Banks is believed to have been used as a protective livestock enclosure, so will presumably have been much louder in it’s heyday. Livestock enclosure.... bit of a swizz? Yeah, that’s what I thought... but if you stop and consider that animals (i.e. the ability to feed others, henceforth your dependants) are generally equated to power in Iron Age Britain, then it becomes clear that here we have a prehistoric structure of major significance. Not to mention defensive capability.

It is also beautiful, particularly on a day like today with sunlight slanting diagonally through the woodland canopy, trees throwing incredible shadows across the forest floor to furnish abstract definition to the very real bank and ditch. The exquisite interplay of highlight and shade, perhaps prompting a fleeting resurrection of long buried, instinctive memories recalling a time when such environments were our world and woodland spirits were a very real proposition. The univallate rampart is relatively impressive, too, at up to 2m in height in places, although what I take to be a droveway at the south-west corner apparently dates to the Middle Ages. Huh! Only yesterday, then. To the south-east the defences are a little less defined as the landscape slopes down to a very busy bridleway through the forest. Runners, walkers, mountain bikers, horse riders... you name it... even large parties of ramblers dressed head to toe in the latest extreme summit gear. However none, no-one, not one person ventures onto the ramparts in the three hours I’m on site. In fact my only visitors are a stag and his harem, the former clearly ‘up for it’ in true Essex style. No, you’re alright, pal. I’ve just got myself out of a Saturday rut. Don’t fancy another.

The information board reckons it’s unlikely Boudicca met her end here, despite the legends. To be honest I’m glad. Ambresbury is the epitome of life today. Not death.

Situated just north of The Home Farm of Potterton on the Potterton to Belhelvie road (western side), this once impressive cairn somehow survives. Trees grow on top, ploughing has caused damage, a road removed most of the eastern side and just to make matters worse some idiot has thrown cushions onto it. Sad because this truly had a wonderful shape as can be seen in one of the pics.

The cairn stands at 15 meters wide and is 2.3 meters tall. It’s builders were sensible and built it on top of a natural mound. Fairly good views but not today due to the mist.

Visited 18/4/2011.

Tillydrone is known for all sorts of things but this is a well kept secret. I studied at Aberdeen University (living in the equally luxurious Torry) and hadn’t heard about this artificial mound till today whilst at Foresterhill.

This steep sided mound is some 30 meters wide and 9 meters by 5 meters at it’s oval shaped top. What it was used for is anybodies guess but it seems to have been in use since before the Iron Age.

Go down St Machar Drive in Aberdeen, past the academy with same name, until the first roundabout. If coming from King Street it is also the first roundabout. Go along Tillydrone Avenue heading north (past the Zoology dept.) and stop a the buliding that looks like a wee castle. Follow the path east which leads straight to the mound. Don’t go west or you might fall down the path into the River Don which this landmark overlooks.

Visited 18/4/2011.

Class 2 henge , difficult to get a pic of the entire monument . In surprisingly good shape or at least I was expecting much worse . The bank is just under 2m high and the ditch is a typical broad 10m and shallow 0.5 m.Entrances are within 10-15 degrees north/south in common with a few other Class 2’s like the Bull Ring , Cairnpapple ,Broomend and Ballymeanoch .Fwiw the hill seen over the trees in the last pic is Dollar law which is where the winter solstice sun would be seen to set , an unlikely example of intentionality as it’s a wide target (5 degrees of horizon ) not indicated i.e. entrance or foresight , the sun has to set somewhere and as the horizon is relatively hilly it’s likely to be over a hill , if the hill happened to be notable i.e. pointed it might be a wee bit more salient .Plenty lithics have been found in the area dating from the Mesolithic to Late Neolithic .

Three Shire Stones
Visited 17.4.11
After spending a very enjoyable day in the picturesque village of Lacock (well worth a visit) we just had time to visit the 3 Shire Stones on the way home. Despite what I had read about the site I have wanted to pay a visit for a number of years.
We drove past the stones the first time and only spotted them on the second run. If travelling south along the Fosse Way you will pass an airfield on your left and a bit beyond that a long stone wall on your right (one of those stone walls which define the boundary of a country estate). The stones are sited at the corner where the wall turns away from the road.
There is nowhere to park next to the stones but there is a field gate you can pull alongside about a 100 yards further south – on the same side of the road as the stones.
The 3 stones are about 2 metres high and 1 metre across. The capstone is of a similar size although more rectangular in shape. There is also a reconstructed cist in the centre of the stones made up of 4 stones.
There was evidence of quite a lot of graffiti carved into the stones (including the capstone) but I am pleased to report very little litter to be seen.
An odd thing I noticed was what appeared to by 3 ‘steps’ carved into one of the uprights which made climbing on top of the capstone very easy. Prehistoric? – I doubt it!!!

Visited 9.4.11 – SUB
I saw this Barrow marked on the O/S and thought I would have a look after visiting the nearby Meini Hirion standing stone. I couldn’t see a handy field gate so I had to peer through the high hedgerow – a task nigh on impossible if visiting in the summer.
The Barrow itself is no more than a low mound at the far end of the field – next to the hedgerow. I would guess it is approximately 20 metres long by about 1 metre high.
Overall, not much to recommend a visit I’m afraid.

Coflein describes the site as:
A ploughed down earthen mound, c.15-20m in diameter & 1.3m high, thought to be the remains of a round barrow.

The first time I found this barrow was entirely by accident, not even knowing it was there – a real “wowee!” moment. As I’ve lived in Cheltenham (about four miles away) for most of my life I couldn’t believe I hadn’t found it before, and made a return visit a couple of weeks later. Although it’s in an open and exposed spot on the crest of the hill, the place is far enough off the beaten track that I had the place all to myself on both visits.

There are two ways to approach it by road: the most direct is the tiny little lane up past Ullenwood Court, which is single track and no fun if you meet a car coming the other way. You can park on the roadside next to the bridleway which runs past the barrow (a short walk), but doing so in February both me and the car got covered in mud. The other alternative is to walk up to it from Crickley Hill Country Park. It’s a longer walk, and you have to stump up a quid for the car park, but it’s a beautiful stroll. To get to it, walk northwards from the car park (i.e. the opposite direction from Crickley hillfort) through the gorgeous ancient beechwoods, and keep following the path beyond the boundary of the country park until you reach the strip of woodland called Barrow Piece. Within this wood is the gate leading into the field where Crippets barrow is impossible to miss.

The horses in the field are indeed very friendly and like to come over and check you out. On my second visit I was taking some infrared photographs which involves slow exposures and faffing around with tripods etc, and while I was busy composing a shot, a grey pony crept up behind me and began rummaging through my camera bag looking for treats. Having ascertained that I didn’t have anything for him he strode forward and contemptuously smacked the underside of my lens, sending camera and tripod flying, and walked off in disgust. Most of the others were more friendly though and just wanted their ears rubbed.

The eastern end of the barrow has a distinctive shape which I thought at first was a ‘horned’ entrance of the type common on Cotswold barrows but it turns out to be the damage left behind by 18th century pillagers. On my first visit I didn’t notice the capstone (if that’s what it is) sticking out of the ground, but I found it readily enough when I was looking for it the second time. It’s a fairly chunky slab but you can’t see much of it as it’s pretty nearly submerged in the earth.

I also missed the nearby round barrow on my first visit, but went back armed with a large-scale map and my best intuitive faculties and managed to find it. There is practically nothing left of it though, and I agree with the other reports – it’s been ploughed flat and is only distinguishable by a very slight circular undulation and a slight change in the texture of the ground.

I’m in two minds.... which is pretty good actually, since it’s often more.... whether the gibbet which surmounts the long barrow upon Inkpen Hill adds to, or detracts from a visit to the monument. Now I guess we all possess a certain interest in the macabre, something which needs to be satiated every now and then (hopefully not too often) by reminders of how brutal society once used to be. Still is in certain countries, of course. Perhaps this represents remnants of the relish ordinary people had for gladitorial games, public executions, even bear baiting and other completely uncivilised activities. Sure, we like to think we are well past that... but also perhaps worry that it still resides within to some degree. Dunno. Yeah, I know the massive public execution device which looms above this monument to the dead isn’t original – not unless one thinks in terms of ‘original’ as applied to Trigger-out-of-Only-Fools-and-Horses’ broom (with five new heads and ten new handles) – but what it represents still has the power to unsettle/disturb the visitor. Even if the only thing currently ‘strung up’ is a half empty cola bottle. Perhaps some wag is making a very witty, cutting point? Perhaps not.

Now – unlike the Mam C – I’ve been here before, but the impact is still intense, particularly with a biting wind swirling around the hilltop and mist beginning to do likewise as dusk starts to close in. Clearly the fact that the long barrow was chosen as the base of the gibbet was no accident... being situated upon the most visible part of the hill, and no doubt the object of much local folklore for millennia, there really was no other choice for maximum deterrent value. Just try NOT looking at it and imagining what went on here. Which is precisely the problem.... people come here to do just that, drop their litter, let their dogs do what dogs do and generally not give two hoots that this is actually a rather fine Neolithic long barrow.

Aye, that it is. Set in a perfect position in the landscape, with stunning views to north and south, the rather impressive Walbury Hill hillfort to approx south-east and – surely – an ancient ridgeway track to west, it is only the aforementioned litter which detracts from a great hang at what is a fine, substantial example of such a monument. Ha! I’ve just got the pun, which was actually unintended, believe it or not... of course the greatest distraction of all – by far – is the wacking great reminder of past judicial systems towering above one’s head. Hmm. With darkness upon us we decide to beat a hasty retreat to the car.... not that we’re scared or anything, you understand?

After walking through Lockeridge Dene sarsen drift we headed up a narrow path towards Huish and into West Woods. How wonderful West Woods is at the moment – the bluebells are almost fully out so a haze of blue to be seen in almost all directions.

A more or less straight path across the wood to Hurley Bottom then onto Strawberry Ground (wild strawberries flourishing here). Turning left, follow the outer path, the Wansdyke also runs along this part of West Wood. And there is the long barrow – today covered in bluebells and dappled sunlight. Magical!

Have been through Lockeridge many of times on route to walks starting from Knap Hill but it was only when I went past on the Henge Hopper min-bus a few weeks back did I realise how far this sarsen drift spreads.

Today my walking friend parked up near one of the southerly access points into West Wood and we walked along the narrow road towards Lockeridge. About a 15 minute walk until we came to a gate leading into the drift. It has the same ‘other-worldly’ quality as Piggle Dene though perhaps a bit more accessible. There are three fields of grey wethers leading up to the village of Lockeridge where the first field can be clearly seen from the road. An essential part of the Avebury landscape – the NT information board says these stones have been used for building for the past 5,000 years and indeed many of the houses and garden walls in Lockeridge are built from sarsen blocks.

Bringing the Mam C back to Essex for a week, I decide to stop off in Wiltshire to break the journey en-route. As you do. Well, the M4 is a major drag, it has to be said. But herein lies the problem. Where to go when you’ve a travelling companion tuned to the subtleties of the South Walian uplands? Simples. I put my faith in Chance. Ha!!

How I’ve missed out on this beautiful Neolithic monument, having driven up and down the aforementioned motorway all these years, is beyond me... true, the glory of Avebury may radiate far and wide, but, for me, sites such as Fairmile possess more of that abstract ‘stuff’ which would appear to speak directly to whatever we humans – at least some of us, I guess – call the ‘soul’. Yeah, James Brown, as opposed to that Boyle woman. Much to my chagrin, I visited the nearby – and, it has to be said, somewhat inferior (although still pretty good) – Tow Barrow last year, so have only ignorance as a defence.

Access is easy from the minor road to the east, this route well worth a drive for its own sake for the sweeping vistas it provides, panoramas dominated by that vast sky which seems to be so much more extensive here in Wiltshire. Clearly it’s not, but the feeling is nonetheless tangiable. A bridleway, with plenty of parking room at the entrance, heads approx westwards a little north of a track cross roads. Don’t be decieved, now.... the mound visible in the field is, in fact, a reservoir, so follow the field edge towards a copse of trees until the long barrow appears to the right, protected within a wooden-fenced enclosure. This fence-line lessens the initial impact, but advance through the gate and the sheer size and superb preservation of the long barrow takes the breath away. It really does. Well, it must be that since the physical exertion required to see this beauty is minimal, compared to some.

The setting is classic ‘long barrow’, positionned just back from the edge of a steep escarpment, with far-reaching views to the north. Agriculture dominates here, so much so that it’s tempting to think very little has changed in millennia. Delusion, perhaps, but this monument to farming nevertheless is not exactly out of context. Damage to the long barrow would appear relatively minimal, making it a perfect perch to sit and watch the farmer (I assume) do his ‘rounds’, his two dogs engaged in the time honoured ritual of chasing hares across the fields. Don’t worry, now. The hare doesn’t even bother to resort to evasive manoeuvres – he clearly reckons sheer pace is enough to leave these suckers standing. It is.

It’s difficult to think what more could be asked of Fairmile? Easilly reached, yet obscure; very well preserved, with intact ditches (oh yes!); classic siting; great views; friendly farmer? Tick all those boxes. For my money – with the possible exception of the heavilly overgrown Botley Down (hard to judge) – it is the finest long barrow in an area literaly chock-a-block with them. A fine day can be had in the vicinity, but keep this beauty to last.

16/05/2010 – Ever since I visited Tap o’ Noth, Scotland’s second highest Hillfort I’ve always wanted to visit here, Ben Griam Beg – Scotland’s Highest.

Ben Griam Beg with it’s brother Ben Griam Mor make for a great walk, starting from near the Garvault Hotel.

It’s hard to believe people stayed and built a fort here. Remote is a good word. Great place.

canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/6792/details/ben+griam+beg/

Heading west on the A944 go thru the hamlet of Roughpark until the first minor road heading south, indicated Culfork. Opposite that is road heading north to Inverernan house. Take this and go to it’s end. I asked permission to park which was granted. From here walk thru the forest following a path which leads to fence. The cairn is in the field in front.

This must have been a large cairn which at some time must have been oval shaped. At 37 meters north to south, 24 meters east to west and 2 meters in height it has received some unfriendly treatment. The shape has gone due to a dry stane dyke (itself in a state of collapse). Field clearence has also been dumped on top along with a tree trunk or two.

A shame as it has a really fine location.

Visited 14/4/2011.

From Balnagowan I walked all the way back going past sothern edge of Scar Hill and the northern edge of Mulloch. Walking fairly fast I walked past the kerb cairn so that will give an excuse to come back as there is plenty more to see in Drummies Wood and Corrachree, Craig Glas etc.

Anyway I made it back to car and the resident at the house informed of hut circles near the back of his house. There are three but they are in bad condition with one being smashed by a farm track road leading to Knockenzie. Field clearence cairns can also be seen. Further evidence that this must have been a busy area in prehistoric times.

Ironically I had to walk past the western edge of Mulloch on the way back. Two men with chainsaws were busily cutting down most of the heavy vegetation.

Visited 14/4/2011.